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Sunday, June 15, 2008

Modern Friends, if you would, take a moment to view the following video:

And now this:

Hi. I'm in Delaware (Small wonder and home of tax-free shopping, according to the above blurry sign).

The Modern Dad has this crazy notion to visit every state capital. He's already visited quite a few -- in the high 30s, having dragged my poor mother to a number of obscure ones during their travels, eg: Cheyenne, Wyoming. I can assure you there is nothing to see besides the Wyoming capital in Cheyenne.

Anyway, he had never been to Dover, Delaware, and decided because D.C. was just so darn close and because Sunday morning wasn't occupied by some sort of function he was going. I have the slightly less ambitious goal of simply seeing every state before I die. Because Delaware was still on my list to see and because it was Father's Day, I obliged to go along. Modern Mom, ever the good sport, went too. At 6:45 a.m. Why we were up that early, I have no idea, but it certainly wasn't because I was well-rested.

It wasn't too far -- only about an hour and a half -- but considering how much of NOTHING there is between D.C. and Dover, it felt every bit of an hour and a half and more. I lie. There are a few things between D.C. and Dover. Like Annapolis, Maryland -- a capital the MD had already seen, thus requiring no stop.There was also the Bay Bridge over the Chesapeake, which freaked the holy bejeebus out of me not because I'm afraid of heights but possibly because I'm afraid of heights over deep waters with iffy barriers between me and the long way down.

My dad and I passed the time talking literature and art and politics and even took to reciting poetry because he's awesome like that a nerd like that and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

We stayed in Dover long enough to determine what building served as the state capital and snap some pictures and long enough for some native Doverite to point out how the buildings were more Victorian than Georginian and tell us what a shame it was that we were there on a Sunday morning rather than a more bustling Saturday (perhaps that was the plan), but it was long enough that I knew I could use a drink. Fortunately, I found this tavern:

Unfortunately, it was closed. A closer look revealed that this particular tavern was the place long ago where the powers that be in Delaware aka "The First State" ratified the Constitution. I'm so glad to know our country got started on such fertile ground.

We were back in D.C. by 11 a.m. What did you accomplish before noon on Sunday?The rest of my day was spent picnicking with family, catching up with friends Missy, Hélène, Katie and Cole and finally meeting the engaged Heidi, who is every bit as fun as she comes across on Life in Pink.

12 comments:

I have the same fear of high stuff over water. We drive through Canada a lot to visit family in the Midwest, and there's this one section that's just a cluster of bridges. If the hubs makes me drive it, my hands hurt the next day from gripping the steering wheel so hard.

I love that you and your dad were reciting poetry in the car. That's awesome.

Before noon on Sunday, I woke up at 5:00, drove 90 minutes to New York City, found parking for my car, walked to Riverbank State Park, swam 2500 meters, showered, walked back to the car, drove to New Jersey, bought a bagel, bought a father's day card, and arrived at my parent's house at just around 12:00. But that's just me, I'm training for a race.

And yeah, there's not much in Cheyenne until the state fair comes along once a year. Then it's hopping. Sounds like a fun, geeky time. I love it!

My in-laws actually achieved their goal of seeing every state capital (including tours of the capital buildings themselves) - I guess that's what a military background can do for you. Anyway, I thought this was a foolish endeavor until they invited my husband and myself to go with them to visit their very last state capital - Honolulu. I could have cared less about the capital building - which is oddly very 70s-ish and very groovy - but we had a great time on the trip.

Dude.... We used to drive over that bridge at least once a month growing up. And if you want to talk about phobias, try this one for size:

My grandpa had a great cabin cruiser that he docked on the Cheseapeake near Annapolis. He used to scare the pants off me, by telling me that he'd occassionally run into Chessie, the big, scary sea monster who lived in the bay and was related to Nessie, of Scottland fame. Anyway, he told me that Chessie was fond of eating little girls and was known to bring her big head out of the water and pluck unsuspected pig-tailed cuties (such as yours truly) from the passenger seats of passing cars. Being the impressionable youth I was, this instilled the fear of God in me. And I INSISTED my parents drive in the center lane over the bridge to keep as much distance from Chessie as possible. As you know know, only one span has three lanes -- the other has two. So, on that part of the trip, I would hunch down as tiny as possible and mutter something about not being eaten by a seamonster.

When I went away to high school and college, I'd still have to drive over that bridge to get home. After all those years, can you guess what lane I choose? :-)

Like you, I too have a goal of seeing all 50 states. I have strict criteria for this: passing through at an airport does not count, for example. I have to actually spend measurable time on the soil in the state for it to count.

I am also afraid of bridges over long stretches of water, high or low. It's the idea that there is nowehere to go. You can't pull off to the side of the road because it is all water. My business trips to Clearwater used to kill me.

I actually had never been to Dover until just a couple of years ago, and even then we didn't make it anywhere near the capitol. You drove near my grandparents on your way over. They live in Centreville, MD.

I'll never forget seeing Wayne's World in the theater in Georgia in sixth or seventh grade with some friends who were aware of my provenance. It made that part of the movie extra funny.